Date:	Saturday 4 January 2020
Time:	10:10 LT
Type:	TM-1 Thunder Mustang
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N151WR
MSN:	24
Year of manufacture:	2001
Engine model:	Falconer V12 liquid co
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Santa Clarita, CA -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Los Angeles-Van Nuys Airport, CA (VNY/KVNY)
Destination airport:	Los Angeles-Van Nuys Airport, CA (VNY/KVNY)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot departed for flight in an amateur-built experimental airplane. A few minutes after takeoff, the pilot made a distress call to the airport tower controller stating a loss of engine power and a cockpit visibility issue. A witness observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude with smoke trailing from the airplane. Subsequently, the airplane struck a tree and impacted terrain in a grassy field located in the median of an interstate’s off-ramp, destroying the airplane.

Postaccident examination of the engine revealed damage that was consistent with detonation. One cylinder had material deformation that had burnt through the crankcase. Other cylinders had varying degrees of material deformation on their piston faces and cylinder heads, and the piston faces, and cylinder heads were absent of any carbon buildup. During the forced landing, the hole in the crankcase would have leaked coolant and oil, creating smoke and limiting the visibility from the cockpit, which likely would have prevented the pilot from seeing and avoiding the tree. The specific reason for the detonation could not be determined.

Probable Cause: Engine detonation that resulted in material deformation of the crankcase and led to engine failure and restricted cockpit visibility.

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/pilot-killed-after-small-plane-crashes-erupts-in-flames-near-california-freeway
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-04/plane-crash-santa-clarita-freeway
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/1-dead-after-aircraft-crashes-near-freeway-santa-clarita-california-n1110446
https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:95:::NO::P95_EVENT_LCL_DATE,P95_LOC_CITY_NAME,P95_REGIST_NBR:04-JAN-20,SANTA%20CLARITA,N151WR
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=151WR
________________________

https://flightaware.com/photos/view/1654118-56e2f447c13aca5d39c364080fbe21919fa99309/aircrafttype/TM1 (photo)

Photo: NTSB

DEADLY PLANE CRASH: New video shows the fiery scene after a small plane crashed near a freeway in Santa Clarita, California, killing the only person on board, with eyewitnesses saying the plane hit a tree before coming down. https://t.co/H7JWuWowSX pic.twitter.com/aOhZ5vqP8x

— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) January 4, 2020

BREAKING: Plane crash in Santa Clarita at NB 14’s Newhall Avenue offramp. Single occupant dead. pic.twitter.com/vIXXivUgWR

— Austin Dave (@AustinDave_) January 4, 2020

A small plane crashed and erupted in flames near a freeway in Santa Clarita, prompting a massive response from firefighters and the CHP. https://t.co/8CnJ7ra4In

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) January 4, 2020

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1134625

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Jan-2020 20:31	Iceman 29	Added
04-Jan-2020 20:33	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
04-Jan-2020 22:45	Captain Adam	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
04-Jan-2020 23:56	Geno	Updated [Registration, Cn, Location, Source, ]
05-Jan-2020 05:34	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
05-Jan-2020 10:31	Pena_44	Updated [Embed code, ]
05-Jan-2020 12:49	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
05-Jan-2020 12:51	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
06-Jan-2020 15:58	RobertMB	Updated [Registration, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative, ]
16-Mar-2022 19:39	Captain Adam	Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo, ]